What Cedar Fair park should inherit "Big Dipper"?

Personally I think it should go to either Dorney Park or Canada's Wonderland.

It's not going to go anywhere. The wood is most likely too old to be reused, the trains are garbage (there's so much padding that anyone over 6' has a helluva time getting in and out), and the control system is built for skid brakes, which aren't kosher in today's anally-safe amusement parks. I suppose a park could "adopt" the design, but it's not that terribly interesting...

I really love this ride and while you may be right I hope they move it to another Cedair Fair park or get someone like Knobels to purchase it.

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PhantomTails said: but it's not that terribly interesting...

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It's too bad you put this at the end of your post, I would have buzzed you otherwise. ;)

I have only been to a couple CF parks, but I don't think it fits in any of them.

What CF park? None. Villian? Sure, but only because it was once a good ride, and most of it is actually salvagable. I personally think it'd be a great replacement for an aging ride by the beach in Sandusky.

Should any park? IMO no, not really. The ride has no real value - historic or otherwise. On top of that, it was never all that great of a ride to begin with. Given it'd be nice if some small park gets it like what was done with Meteor, but I definitely won't shed any tears if it doesn't happen.

Personally, I think if anyone wants to keep anything from the ride around for sentimental value or maybe even historical significance, take the trains and put'em in the museum... But that mostlikely won't ever be built.

Hopefully The Beast is next on the demo list. We're finally making progress on all the terrible rides!

I'd rather see it go to a non-CF park where it may continue to operate as the un-tamed gem it is. Dipper is an airtime machine. It amazed me that CF allowed it to continue operating that way let alone without seatdividers or headrests.

And by the way, I am over 6 ft tall and have no trouble at all getting into or out of the Dippers "garbage" trains.

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rOLLocOASt said:
Should any park? IMO no, not really. The ride has no real value - historic or otherwise. On top of that, it was never all that great of a ride to begin with. Given it'd be nice if some small park gets it like what was done with Meteor, but I definitely won't shed any tears if it doesn't happen.

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No historic value? What exactly gives a ride historic value? If nothing else Big Dipper was fun, one of the best coasters and Geauga Lake and best wooden coasters in Ohio.

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Acoustic Viscosity said:
I'd rather see it go to a non-CF park where it may continue to operate as the un-tamed gem it is. Dipper is an airtime machine. It amazed me that CF allowed it to continue operating that way let alone without seatdividers or headrests.

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I agree. Kennywood and Holiday World are the first two parks that come to mind. I actually trust those to parks to operate and maintain great wooden coasters. Plus Cedar Fair could use some cash, they might as well try to auction it off.

Little A Merrik A up near Madison Wisconsin would probably be the Big Dipper's only chance at survival.

They just moved Meteor, and all their rides at this small park are used and refurbished and all run great.

They might be interested in BD if CF allows it to be sold.

Idlewild could use a "big kid" coaster too. :)

In a statement release by Cedar Fair, they said any rides they don't want to relocate, will be sold if there is a market for them.

Hopefully it will find a home.

I can't find what statement where Cedar Fair said something about selling the rides, can you help me out with a link?

Thanks

Mike

Frankly, I wouldn't trust CF with Big Dipper. If it were to be saved, get it OUT of the hands of Cedar Fair and into the hands of someone that actually care about historical attractions. CF is on their "search & destroy" mission. With the probable removal of Carowinds Saturator, there's no telling what they have in store. For all we know there could be other parks they feel would be better off as simply water parks. OK, breathe deeeeep......

I am really glad I decided to visit the park last weekend for the last time. :( I can only HOPE Big Dipper finds a home. I would hate to see TWO kickass woodies SBNO in Ohio.

-Tina

Sadly my thoughts that unless Knoebels steps up to the plate the Big Dipper has taken it's last ride. I knew when CF took over Geauga they'd "Astroworld" it by moving the rides to other parks in the chain and selling of a bunch if not all of the property.

I'm glad I visited it before they decided to kill it.

Have Fun

Paul

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Jason Hammond said:
In a statement release by Cedar Fair, they said any rides they don't want to relocate, will be sold if there is a market for them.

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In that case, Big Dipper won't be sold. There is absolutely no market in the U.S. for a wooden roller coaster that was already operating before most people's grandparents were born.

It would be much more cost effective and sensible to build a new modern wooden roller coaster than to go through the painstaking process of carefully dismantling a near century old dump, relocate it, and reassemble it.

In case you haven't noticed, I though Big Dipper was terrible ride (as is my opinion of the other Geauga Lake woodies). Don't give me that "oh, but it's a classic and is historical" bit. Most people could care less if the ride has history if it's a piece of sh*t.

What if CF purchased SFMM and shut it down since it was a gangster-infested, poorly operated dump without a horrid reputaton, no flats worth mentioning and a park they had already been outdrawing with KBF for years? And THEN parceled out the rides amongst the other CF parks?

I'd be willing to bet certain posters would throw themselves off the highest point in the park...much less mourn any 'historical value' of lost rides in this forum.

That having been said--why don't we treat others like it was happening to our own home park? A little sensitivity, perhaps? Wouldn't kill ya...

-CO

As fas as I'm concerned, they can take the wrecking ball to the Big Dipper.
Has it always been one of my favorite wood coasters? Yes.
Was is one of my first coasters? Yes.
Would I like to see it moved only to become a half-a$$ed version of it's former self somewhere other than it's home of many decades? NO.

Just tear it down like The Thriller, Racing Coaster, and Flying Turns of Euclid Beach. Let it go to coaster-heaven. RIP Big D!